Garage - smaller footprint or bigger but with an internal gradient? 7 February at 9:05PM edited 7 February at 9:11PM in In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving 6 replies 127 views

Astraeus

Just wanted to sound out the hive mind on this.

We are planning a side garage extension. The garage will extend 1m out from the existing house facade, 'cutting in' to the driveway by that same 1m. Here's the drawing:



Our driveway is already quite steep (1:10) such that steepening it to meet the front of the garage wouldn't be an option. Which leaves us with a choice. Do we:

1. Build the garage in line with the existing house facade so that we don't 'cut into' the driveway and thus preserve the existing gradient. This would mean the internal garage would be all level but only 2.8m front to back. We'd be taking the design back to the dotted line just left of "420"; or

2. Have the 1:10 gradient carry on through the first 1.3m of the internal garage with it flattening out thereafter. If we did this, the internal garage would be 3.8m but with part of it (from the front door to where the red hashed line starts) on that 1:10 gradient?

I have an inclination of which way to go but I'd like some other viewpoints if I may. I should add that the dimensions of the plot mean the garage could never accommodate a car so that isn't a consideration.

Thanks for any helpful input.

Section62

Astraeus said:

I should add that the dimensions of the plot mean the garage could never accommodate a car so that isn't a consideration.

It might help if you could clarify why you want to make this a 'garage' then, rather than (say) a store.

It could have relevance to the floor issue, for example in getting doors that fit the opening size.

If you need to retain a 'garage' for planning reasons then bear in mind the planners would expect a 'garage' to meet their minimum dimensions (i.e. large enough to fit a car in)  If this is anything to do with the reason then getting the planners to remove the garage condition may make sense.

Astraeus

No condition of it needing to be a garage.

We will certainly use it as a store but with a garage door for ease of access.  No issue with getting a door to fit.

As people on this forum are would-be purchasers when the time comes to sell, it's helpful to know what other people would consider to be a more usable space.

diystarter7

Hi OP

It all depends on who wants to buy it and whom your property attracts.

Personally, I wold find it off-putting with a steep gradient inside a garage.

Possibly just have a quick phone chat with your friendly EA's and tell them you
may want to sell your house soon but want to add value to it and your plans.
As the EA speaks with you they will look up Google and will be aware of your road.

Be aware, EA may say there is no point in doing anything on this scale as they want to
get a sale.

What have others done around your way that have a gradient similar to yours?

Is  parking easy on the roads where you live remembering most homes have at least two cars or a car and van

Thanks

Money_Grabber13579

Personally, I’d prefer to have a flat garage floor as then you never have to worry about footballs, tricycles, the lawnmower etc rolling down to the garage door and potentially out the door and down the drive.

casper_gutman

AIUI the choice is between a small garage/store and a larger one but still with the same amount of flat floor area.

Personally, though I would find it unusual to have part of the internal floor sloping, I'd still prefer to have the larger area undercover. The space would still be useful for storing things on the walls on shelves or hooks, and for anything that wouldn't roll down the slope.

Section62

Astraeus said:

As people on this forum are would-be purchasers when the time comes to sell, it's helpful to know what other people would consider to be a more usable space.

It would put me off having a garage which isn't a garage. Unless the buyer had a collection of motorcycles or mopeds they wanted to store under cover a garage which isn't a garage has limited use due to security, temperature and weathertightness. It also means insulating the walls/ceilings between the 'garage' and the rest of the house.

If you can't get a car into the garage then why do you need a 'flat' (but sloping) surface to get into it?  An entrance via steps would solve the problem of having the floor level.  A small (but Ok to be steeper) ramp could be included in the external layout design if there was a need to wheel something in.